Jose Reyes expected to return to Mets on Thursday

Mets general manager Sandy Alderson said the club expects shortstop Jose Reyes to return from bereavement leave in time for Thursday’s matinee against the Pirates. Reyes is in San Tiago, Dominican Republic, mourning the death of his grandmother.

He reached 100 mph on the radar gun but he allowed two runs and two hits and walked a batter in two-thirds of an inning. He refused to address the media after the game.

"I know he was overanxious," Collins said. "He wanted to impress everybody. But we have to get some strikes."

The lineup movement of Angel Pagan will continue for the near future. Collins inserted him into the leadoff role last night to replace Reyes. The top of the order had been Pagan’s home in 2010 and at the beginning of this season.

So, once Reyes returns, will Pagan move back to his customary spot in the No. 2 hole? Not likely, Collins said.

“I’m going to slide him down,” Collins said before last night’s loss to the Pirates, in which Pagan went 2-for-4. “He does like to hit with guys on. He thinks that it makes him concentrate more. I’m all for that. And we’re going to need a guy to protect us in the middle of that lineup.”

Without Davis or Wright for the foreseeable future, Collins needs any power he can procure. Pagan provides a measure of that.

On Monday night, Pagan collected three singles and scored a run. He appears more settled at the plate than he was at the beginning of the season, when his batting average dipped to .159 before he went on the disabled list.

The Mets’ game on Sunday against Atlanta has been flexed into the “Sunday Night Baseball” slot at 8:05 on ESPN.